It seems fitting to dedicate this week’s blog to those who will be leaving our Pre-Prep family at the end of this week.

My first farewell is to our Year 2 children, who have been a particularly strong year group both academically and as a social unit. The longest serving members of the group have been with us for five years whilst one child has only been with us for two terms. However, regardless of the length of time they have been a member of our community, they have all contributed to it in their own unique way. There are children who have been great leaders in inspiring ideas both inside and outside the classroom, children who have shone on the sports field or in the Arts, children who have been hugely helpful to staff with their helpfulness and children who have simply been great role models for kindness and in their consideration of others. The last few weeks have seen them immersed in rehearsals for the Summer Show and I cannot fault their commitment to working as a team to make it an incredible performance. Leading the Summer Show is an honour bestowed upon Year 2 each year as it is in many ways the finale and culmination of their time in Pre-Prep. They all have speaking parts and their time on stage is significantly greater than anyone else’s. This brings a great lesson in responsibility for them as they know the success of the show lies in their hands and will depend on how well they work together. I have been most impressed with the swiftness at which they learned lines, the natural acting talent that lies within many of them and their confidence in contributing their own ideas for stage direction and choreography. I have no doubt they will make us all proud on Thursday morning.

The end of this week will also mark the end of a journey for many Pre-Prep families and so my second farewell is to them. I have had the pleasure of seeing some of these children grow from ‘bumps’ into the confident, happy children they are today which really is one of the best things about my ‘job’. The relationships we build with the families of the children are so important and I feel proud we do this well. I would like to thank all the families who have come to the end of their Pre-Prep journey for the loyalty, support and friendship they have shown to us over the duration of their child’s time with us.

My final farewell is to Mrs Judy Yeabsley who is retiring after a career that has spanned 37 years. Her teaching days began in 1979 at King’s House until it was amalgamated with Pyrland Hall to become King’s Hall in 1987. Her dedication and commitment both to the children she has taught and to Pre-Prep have been remarkable. One of her many talents lies in her artwork and creativity. She has designed and painted the backdrop to numerous Nativities and shows and has certainly inspired many budding artists along the way with her enthusiasm and knowledge of the subject. She has also been renowned for her creative approaches to teaching the everyday and the ordinary; to help the children learn about capacity, in the past she would arrive in her Mini car and the children would attempt to find out how many of them could fit inside (clearly before the days Health and Safety would dictate this far too risky!) On behalf of all the children she has taught along the way and all the colleagues who have benefitted from her humour, passion and professionalism we can only say a very heartfelt ‘Thank You’ and wish her the very best for a wonderful retirement.

To each and every one of those we are saying farewell to, they will each have played a part, whether small or large, in our history and will be remembered fondly for all they have contributed, which has inevitably helped us grow to be the strong, vibrant and happy place we are today. We hope they won’t be strangers and will come back now and then to let us know about their new adventures.